BEING the centenary of the Anzac landing, the forthcoming remarkable and unique Anzac Exhibition at Tilba in April will focus on Gallipoli.
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It will provide a fuller version of this story as well as many others. Make a diary note to visit the Big Hall, Central Tilba between April 23 and 26.
Such an exhibition is unlikely to be repeated, so the organising committee strongly recommends you do not miss out on seeing it.
On April 29, just four days after the landing at Anzac Cove, Captain Hugh Quinn, with a detachment of Queenslanders from the 15th Battalion, arrived at what soon became known as Quinn’s Post.
Together with nearby Steele’s Post, Courtney’s and Pope’s Hill, it was close to the geographical centre of the Anzac front line, see the map above.
All positions were at the top of very steep terrain, but the Turks still held higher ground, as can be seen in the photograph.
From April 29 right until evacuation, there was a struggle here that continued 24 hours a day for eight months.
Quinn’s Post was overlooked by the enemy on three sides and certain death from sniper fire would result from looking above the trench.
The enemy trenches were so close that small bombs, forerunners of hand grenades, were constantly thrown by the Turks, inflicting great damage.
The Anzacs had nothing similar, and set up a makeshift “bomb” making factory on the beach, utilising explosives packed in bully beef cans and jam tins.
They never enjoyed the vast quantity of such “bombs” as the enemy, but at least they had something.
The Turks recognised the area around Quinn’s Post was a very thin line of defence in front of a near cliff, and hence, probably the most vulnerable part of the Anzac line.
On May 17 the noise of Turks tunnelling under Quinn’s Post was heard.
Early in the morning of May 19 the Turks prepared to attack with an overwhelming force of 42,000 men against a total Anzac force of 17,000. They had assembled over the ridge and out of sight.
Remarkably, a British plane had passed by a day or two before and had seen the large troop numbers gathering.
The Anzacs were able to prepare, and positioned themselves for the advance.
On 400 Plateau to the south, Turk bayonets glinted in the moonlight, the Anzacs got the jump on their enemy, and at 3.20am opened fire first.
Under the German General Von Sanders, the Turkish plan was for no artillery barrage, no covering fire, just bayonets and weight of numbers.
But for the discovery of the Turk preparations just in time, the Turks may well have driven the Anzacs into the sea, as was their plan.
The Turks made two charges at 400 Plateau and at least five at Quinn’s Post.
The offensive extended from Russell’s Top in the north to Bolton’s Ridge about 1.7 km to the south.
By 5am the Turkish attack was in disarray, and by mid-morning it was over.
The Turks incurred massive casualties of around 10,000 whereas the Anzacs suffered only 160 dead and 468 wounded.
Before May 19 the Anzacs had recognised they could not move forward with just a frontal attack.
Now, the Turks realised that even when greatly outnumbering the Anzacs, they could not push them into the sea without much more heavy artillery than they possessed.
So, the further stalemate began, and the constant fire fights at Quinn’s Post and elsewhere continued.
- Harry Bate
Faces of Anzac at Narooma News online
IMAGINE how Mrs C. Cliff must have felt when she received this reply to an inquiry about her son, who had been reported wounded in World War I.
“Your son, Private A.B. Cliff, is reported to have been admitted on October 9, 1917 to King George Military Hospital, London, with severe gunshot wounds, multiple,” it read.
“On receipt of any later cable messages, you will be promptly advised, but in the absence of further news, it may be assumed favourable progress is being maintained.”
Alfred Beyer Cliff had enlisted less than a year earlier in Cowell in regional South Australia and had found his way to the war front in Ypres in Belgium, his son Milton explained.
“A pellet knocked the top off his finger, [he got] another through the wrist, and another through the jaw,” he said.
“He was lucky to get out. Apparently there were only three of them who came out of the shelling, and they had to crawl out over their mates.”
Not only did Alfred survive the war, he lived in Port Pirie until the age of 84 and bequeathed the relics of his years of service to his family.
Among them are badges, a compass, a box of matches, a cigarette case, a wallet, photographs and briefly written postcards with messages such as “This is the boat that brought us across” or “Been on three fronts up till now and getting ready for number four”.
There is also a handwritten letter from Buckingham Palace.
“The Queen and I wish you Godspeed, a safe return to the happiness and joy of home life with an early restoration to health,” it reads. “A grateful Mother Country thanks you for faithful services.”
It is signed by King George V.
In hindsight, Alfred’s aversion to talking about the war makes the Cliff family collection all the more valuable.
“This is real history, isn’t it?” Milton said.
Alfred Cliff’s story and others like it will feature in Fairfax Media's The Faces of Anzacs centenary tribute in April, marking 100 years since the Gallipoli landing in WWI.
We want to include your stories in this special tribute, which will pay homage to Anzacs from every community across Australia.
To contribute, click on “The Faces of Anzacs” link on the main page of this website. Or click here
Submissions will be accepted until Friday, March 27.